Improve Your Stickwork
Coach Joe Nazzaro’s Favorite
Lacrosse Wall Ball and Rebounder Drills
Our wall and rebounders are fun to use and can dramatically improve your stick-work. The following drills are my favorites. You can do these individually, with a buddy, or as a coach with an entire team using the Wall or multiple rebounders. The important thing is to execute each drill using proper lacrosse technique striving for form and technical correctness. Don’t reinforce bad habits by rushing through these drills using improper technique.
1. Basic Strong Hand: Stand five yards from the wall or a rebounder. Square shoulders up, turn to strong side moving stick into passing position, step toward target and make a hard pass to wall or center of rebounder, quickly recover to receive rebound then repeat process exaggerating the turn and passing. You must involve your whole body, especially your feet in this drill. Repeat 25 times.
2. Basic Off Hand: Repeat exact process as in #1 using the off hand, repeat 25 times.
3. Quick Stick: Move to within three yards of wall or rebounder. Square up to assume an athletic stance and using strong hand, pass ball with good pace to target above shoulder height. Accept rebound on strong side and return the pass without cradling. Give the ball a soft place to land in stick using a full body rocking motion and complete 25 without a miss. Then try this drill using your off hand. You may move closer and use a softer pass until you get the feel for your off hand.
4. Ground Balls: Move 10-15 yards from wall or rebounder. Using strong hand, pass ball hard to rebounder. Let return hit the ground in front of you, scoop ball moving toward , turn cradling and return to starting spot. Hesitate a moment and repeat using your off hand. Repeat to strong hand, etc. Good conditioner too. Repeat 20 times. (This drill is best with a rebounder. When using the wall, let it bounce once before retrieving.
5. Pairs Passing: Get a buddy and face wall or rebounder as in #1. You should be 5-7 yards from target about 3-5 yards apart. Using strong hand, pass to the target so your buddy gets the rebound and he/she passes it to target so you can receive the pass and continue making sure you move your feet and the passes are crisp and quick.
6. Variation On Pairs: As in # 5, when receiver to the left side catches rebound, right side player picks for left side player who moves to right side passes to rebounder, left side player catches ball as right side player picks and left side player repeats and continue. Then do it to the off hand side. This drill must be done deliberately and under control. Do about 20 reps.
7. Shooting Drill When a Partner isn’t Available: Set rebounder just outside the 5X5 zone in front of a goal angled to replicate a feed from a wing attack-man. Get a bucket of balls and fire ball to rebounder and receive rebound in proper shooting position while moving toward the goal and catch ball moving slightly toward goal and shoot ball into goal aiming for corners. Can adjust your position and rebounder to vary type of shots. For example you can move rebounder out to above goal area line, pass to rebounder, get rebound while driving toward cage and work on your bounce shot.